Aphantasia: The People Without a Mind's Eye | 'Out of Mind' | Wired UK

If you close your eyes and picture an apple, how clear is that apple in your mind?

Most people can visualise images in their head instantaneously - this known as the mind's eye.

But in 2015, a scientific study shed new light on the relatively unheard-of phenomenon known as aphantasia, a mental blindness where the brain is unable to call images to the mind eye.

This short documentary uncovers the root cause of a person's emotional detachment from people and events - and the unexpected advantages that come with it.

Alex Wheeler shares the story of how his experiences with aphantasia have affected his life, particularly his grieving process after losing his mum, as he seeks answers from Adam Zeman, Professor of Cognitive and Behavioural Neurology at the University of Exeter Medical School.

WIRED also talks to artist and YouTuber Amy Right, better known as @AmyRightMeow, who shares their experiences with aphantasia and how it feeds their creative process.

Director: @Simon Mulvaney
Producer: Anna O'Donohue
Featuring: Alex Wheeler , Adam Zeman, Amy Right
Field Producer: Lewis Faithfull
Studio Cinematographer: Dan McPake
Studio Art Director: Deborah Du Vernay
Animation & VFX: Run Zebra Run
Original Music Composition: Liam Hennessy and Joe Danher

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[katiobrien]

I'm 72 years old and I cried when I watched this. Thank you for making me understand how I have lived and that I'm not alone. All my life I have done my best to hide the fact that I can't really visualize. I 'know' what an apple looks like, and could have answered those questions. But never has there been anything there but black. Thank you.

[crumbleduffer]

I spent maybe 25 years thinking that people 'picturing' things was a figure of speech and was totally freaked out when I found out people could actually see things.

[mycentsu]

When I read a book, it's like watching a movie in my head. My ex could never understand it. Until the subject came up, he never knew people could do that, and I never knew there were people who couldn't.

[twnty]

when he mentioned his mom, a thought crossed my mind
"it`s a bit sad not being able to mentally relive uncaptured memories"

[Dragoncrown]

That moment when you realise counting sheep to fall asleep actually meant that people imagined a herd of sheep and counted it and not just randomly increment a number in their mind

[alexwheeler]

So proud to be a part of this, thanks WIRED UK for putting this out there!

[dg]

my son died by suicide 25 years ago. I have never been able to have his image inside my mind, or to hear his voice. The rest of my family can. This is the biggest sadness I have. Also, the older I get, the more problems I have with memory, which I do wonder if it is linked . I am almost 68 years of age.

[oliviaragland]

Before I realized I had this I once said to my boyfriend “I have a close relationship to reality” he didn’t understand. This comment led me to discover that I felt so rooted in reality because it’s all I had. There was nothing there when I close my eyes.

[JAMIEvstheVOID]

Was a pleasure to be involved in this! Spreading awareness will help a lot of people work with their differences.

[imchef]

Zoning out with your eyes wide open staring out the window, being lost in a thought that you can see and feel it within your mind, is a gift in itself. I have not appreciated this until now and I'm extremely grateful that I have the ability to do so. Thank you for this video, it really has given me a different way of noticing something I've always had and not appreciated.

[breonawarren]

This and the fact not everyone has an internal monologue blows me

[njdjninja]

I am so glad I saw this video. I'm a 61 yr old woman who can visualize and I have an inner monologue but This may explain my daughter since she lost her fiance in a violent way. I have cried for her and could never understand why she seemed to never show emotion over certain things unless they were presented to her. She said she didn't picture things, ever. This may be the answer. Thank you for this.

[morganboyd]

I always use to think “counting sheep” to fall asleep was just a funky way to say count in your head until you fall asleep.

[AjaOlander]

This is wild for me. It’s only been very recently that I figured out that most people could actually see pictures in their minds. I remember being asked as a child what I pictured characters in books looking like, and being quite confused about that because I was just reading the words. I couldn’t “see” anybody.

[JerseyTeal]

This is me. I always thought it was a figure of speech when people would say “close your eyes and imagine...”

[Maxskinen]

Being a level 1 on the Aphantasia scale, meaning absolutely NO internal imagery at all - I can totally relate to this. It took me ten years to shed the first tear after my mothers sudden death and we were very close. I recently lost my 10 year old dog that I spent every day and every night with since I got him when he was 8 weeks old. I have been single since before I got him so he was my life companion. I am SO frustrated that I can not mourn his death but after watching this video I get an idea why this is the case. Thank you so much for sharing this informative video.

[dumoulin]

As an artist I'm really surprised to learn there are artists with aphantasia because I always assumed that a rich inner visual world was almost a prerequisite for the calling. The flexibility of the human mind is endlessly surprising.

[MsPiinkFllamingo]

I’m such the opposite. I can’t stop visualizing. It’s what almost drives me insane, honestly.

[ParadoxFree]

It reminds me of when I learned that some people don't have an inner monologue. Each person's brain may be clearer or fuzzier, faster or slower, audio or visual. We are all unique and there is beauty in that.

[justilou]

My daughter has aphantasia. I can’t believe the number of times she tried to explain that she couldn’t visualize or imagine things.’At 16 she was very upset telling me this and I really heard her. This, along with other things she said led to a very late ASD diagnosis. Now she’s had a lot of assistance and is thriving!